On The Beach
by daszai
Summary: Just talking on the beach...and probably more...


Just needed to get this out of my system. My very first fanfic. A one-shot.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything or anyone here. Just the concept for the story.

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Lucas is sitting on the beach against a tree playing his guitar. Ashley sees him and walks over to him.

Ashley: Where _is_ everyone?

Lucas: Mo went with her mom to the mall, Corb's hanging out with his new "friend" (does air quotes) at Starbucks, Kenny's with Chucky and the dancers rehearsing at the country club, and Zac and Vanessa are at the movies.

Ashley: Wow! Everybody's out? Looks like they're all taking advantage of this day-off. (sits next to him)

Lucas: Yeah, except for me…and _you_ apparently… How was your nap?

Ashley: It was good, thank you…One of the best I've had in years.

Lucas: You sound like an old person.

Ashley: That's 'coz I am. Or… at least I am compared to when we filmed the first movie. (yawns)

Lucas: Looks like sleepyhead's still sleepy.

Ashley: Nah, these are just sleep remnants. I've had my fill for 3 hours.

Lucas: You don't say? (yawns too)

Ashley: Aww, seems like someone needs a nap as well.

Lucas: Nah, dang them sleep remnants. (smiles)

Ashley: (giggles) Gosh…I just take a nap and everyone takes off.

Lucas: Hey, not everyone.

Ashley: Why aren't you out with the rest of the gang?

Lucas: Mo, Zac, and Nessa actually invited me. But I didn't really feel like going to the mall or the movies. Plus, I didn't wanna be the third wheel in both cases. So I figured I'd just spend this nice afternoon with my Lucy.

Ashley: Lucy? (raising an eyebrow)

Lucas: (shows her his guitar)

Ashley: Ohhh… _Lucy_. Why Lucy?

Lucas: For obvious reasons…

Ashley: How creative… (rolls her eyes)

Lucas: Hey! Shhh... Keep it down. She'll hear.

Ashley: Uh… whatever (smiles).

Lucas: (shakes his head and starts to play his guitar again)

Ashley: So is this a signal for me to leave you two alone?

Lucas: No need. Lucy's pretty secure. She's not the jealous type, so you can stay.

Ashley: Aww shucks. Uh, thanks Lucy (talking to the guitar).

Lucas: You're welcome, Ashley (using a high-pitched voice).

Ashley: (chuckles)

Lucas: (smiles, hums a tune, and continues to play "Lucy")…

Ashley: What are you playing?

Lucas: Oh it's just somethin' I wrote.

Ashley: Cool! Can you play it from the beginning?

Lucas: Sure. But I don't have an ending yet.

Ashley: That's okay. What's it about?

Lucas: (starts playing the intro) You'll hear it in a while (winks at her).

Ashley: (smiles and listens attentively)

Lucas: (sings until the chorus)

Ashley: Wow! That's nice.

Lucas: Thanks.

Ashley: Who'd you write it for?

Lucas: What do you mean who'd I write if for? Do I need to write it for someone?

Ashley: Uh… I was just asking, Mr. Defensive.

Lucas: Hey I wasn't being defensive. I was just surprised you asked that.

Ashley: Really…

Lucas: Yes, really.

Ashley: So you didn't really answer my question.

Lucas: What question?

Ashley: Who'd you write it for?

Lucas: No one. Again, why do I need to write it for someone?

Ashley: 'Coz it's a love song. Usually love songs have a person attached to it when it's written.

Lucas: Not according to John Mayer.

Ashley: (shakes her head)

Lucas: Wait, is that how it is when you write your songs?

Ashley: Sometimes (shrugs and looks away).

Lucas: (curious) Really. Care to elaborate Ms. Evasive?

Ashley: I'm not evading!

Lucas: Okay, now you just turned into Ms. Defensive.

Ashley: Well, you did it first!

Lucas: What? Be defensive? I told you. I was surprised, not defensive.

Ashley: Well then I was just… being sentimental, not defensive nor evasive.

Lucas: Ash, you're such a poet!

Ashley: Oh you know it.

Lucas and Ashley: (laugh together, both remembering the Dance-Along)

Lucas: So Ms. Sentimental, what are some of the songs you've written that have a person attached to them?

Ashley: It's in my album. Go buy it.

Lucas: I thought you were giving us all copies?

Ashley: Only if you tell me who your inspiration is for that song.

Lucas: I told you… no one.

Ashley: Somehow I find that hard to believe.

Lucas: Oh but when Mr. Mayer sings it, you believe it?

Ashley: (laughs)

Lucas: Well believe it. You ain't gettin' anything from me _or_ Lucy. That's all we have to say, right baby? (talking to his guitar)

Ashley: Ugh…. You are so strange.

Lucas: And you think it's hot. (wiggling his eyebrows at her)

Ashley: In your dreams, Grabeel.

Lucas: Admit it, Tisdale. You like strange, hot guys.

Ashley: Oh please! (smiling and looking away)

Lucas: See? You do! Or you wouldn't be smiling and hiding it from me.

Ashley: I'm not hiding it from you!

Lucas: And Ms. Defensive is back!

Ashley: Ughh!!! You are just so…

Lucas: …strange?

Ashley: Exasperating.

Lucas: Ooh new word. I bet you find that hot too.

Ashley: And how,_ pray tell_, would you know what I find hot in guys?

Lucas: Oh come on Ashley. You underestimate me. I'm offended.

Ashley: No seriously, I really wanna know.

Lucas: Well, let's see. You flirted with that barista at Coffee Bean this morning. You batted your eyelashes at that surfer dude we saw at the country club earlier. You grin from ear to ear when Zac, Chris, and Jared, joke around with you, and you giggle nonstop when you talk about them with Nessa.

Ashley: (confused) And how is that related at all to me finding strange guys hot?

Lucas: (pauses to think, darting eyes from side to side) It's not. I just wanted to say it. (smiles showing all his teeth)

Ashley: Lucas! (with exasperation in her voice)

Lucas: Ashley! (imitating her tone)

Ashley: You're impossible!

Lucas: Wow Ash! You're on a roll! You've just called me (counting with his fingers, starting with the pinky and ending with the thumb) defensive, strange, exasperating, impossible, and not to mention, _hot_ (emphasizes his thumb with a thumbs up) in the last couple of minutes of this conversation (winks at her again).

Ashley: You're right. I didn't mention hot. You did.

Lucas: Semantics.

Ashley: Give it up, Mr. Defensive-slash-Strange-slash-Exasperating-slash-impossible. You got nothin' on me to prove I like strange, hot guys.

Lucas: You forgot defensive, exasperating, and impossible guys.

Ashley: Might as well throw in the towel while you still got your dignity.

Lucas: What?! I so got somethin' on you. I'm just gettin' warmed up.

Ashley: Oh yeah?

Lucas: Yeah! For starters, who's still hanging out here with Mr. Defensive-slash-Strange-slash- Exasperating-slash-Impossible-slash-_Hot_, who likes to play a love song, written for no one on his Lucy?

Ashley: Are you still talking about John Mayer? 'Coz he's hot. (teasing him)

Lucas: You think John Mayer named his guitar Lucy too?

Ashley: Of course not. He's got the original Lucy. Sorry to say it but, you've got Lucy 2 (holding up 2 fingers).

Lucas: Ugh. I didn't mean two (holding up 2 fingers). I meant, too. T-O-O.

Ashley: Po-tay-to, Po-ta-to.

Lucas: To-may-to, to-ma-to.

Ashley: You do realize this conversation is going nowhere.

Lucas: On the contrary, I think this is a very productive way to spend the afternoon. Kenny'll be so proud of us.

Ashley: (chuckles)

Lucas: So where were we? Oh yeah, to-may-to, to-ma-to.

Ashley: (laughs again)

Lucas: You know, at the rate I'm making you laugh, maybe you should add Mr. Funny-slash-Witty to the list.

Ashley: You're right. You're funny and witty Lucas. And that's hot.

Lucas: Not as hot as John Mayer apparently (bows his head low and tries to look hurt)

Ashley: (tries to keep a straight face but fails and bursts into laughter)

Lucas: What?! So this is how you treat me after I give you my hurt look?

Ashley: Aww… I'm sowee Lukie. (Lucas winces at the nickname) Aren't you happy? I just said you're hot.

Lucas: (Still bowing his head and pouting) You didn't say it. You only implied it with the "You're funny and witty" comment.

Ashley: Well at least I had the guts to tell you you're hot. We've been talking this whole time and all _you've_ been doing is implying.

Lucas: And what, pray tell, have I been implying?

Ashley: That you find _me_ hot. (smiles and raises her chin victoriously)

Lucas: (frowns at her comment) Oh no… you're not gonna turn the tables around here missy. No ma'm.

Ashley: Oh, welcome back Mr. Defensive!

Lucas: Again, for the record, I am not being defensive. I am merely stating that you are not going to make this about me.

Ashley: Correction. You were implying that, not stating it. See? Implying again.

Lucas: Whatever. This isn't about me.

Ashley: Oops! Too late.

Lucas: And what did I do to make you think I think you're hot?

Ashley: Gosh Luc. That's a lotta thinking in one breath. Don't hurt yourself.

Lucas: I'm not. I like thinking.

Ashley: And implying.

Lucas: So let's get back to my question, shall we?

Ashley: Certainly. The answer to your question lies in your answers to my questions earlier.

Lucas: That's a lotta answers and questions in one breath. Don't hurt yourself.

Ashley: (smirks at him)

Lucas: What answers to what questions?

Ashley: That's for me to know. And for you to figure out. (smiles)

Lucas: Oh don't even think I'm lettin' you off the hook that easily.

Ashley: Ugh… and look at me beg… (says sarcastically)

Lucas: Okay, okay. Let's start from the very beginning.

Ashley: …A very good place to start… (sings line in Do-Re-Mi from the Sound of Music)

Lucas: First you asked me where everyone was.

Ashley: Uhuh…

Lucas: Then you asked why I wasn't out with them.

Ashley: Okay.

Lucas: You also asked me if you should leave me and Lucy alone. I said you can stay. Then you asked me to play the song I wrote.

Ashley: (yawns again, faking boredom)

Lucas: Then the question that started it all.

Ashley: What?

Lucas: Who did I write the song for?

Ashley: Oh yeah.

Lucas: And I said no one, but you didn't believe me.

Ashley: No I didn't. I still don't.

Lucas: Ahah! So you actually think I think you're hot because you think you're the one I wrote my song for?

Ashley: Wow! That's a big jump. A very impressive jump but... okay. It kinda makes sense. Logical. I can see how you would think that. (nodding and rubbing her chin while thinking)

Lucas: So that's it? Ash, I hate to break it to you but… the song's not for you. Nor is it about you. Not in this case. So don't flatter yourself.

Ashley: Oh don't worry Luc. I'm not flattering myself over your song. It's something else.

Lucas: What?

Ashley: Like I said, it's for me to know, and for you to figure out.

Lucas: Ashley! (whining)

Ashley: Lucas! (imitating his tone)

Lucas: (goes back to pouting)

Ashley: (seeing his expression) Aww… could you be any cuter?

Lucas: Yes, I could. But before I do that, could you please tell me already?

Ashley: Tell you what? Oh man, we've been going on about this for so long; I forgot what we were talking about in the first place.

Lucas: Why you think I think you're hot?

Ashley: Oh yeah, that question.

Lucas: Yes.

Ashley: All right I'll tell you. But just for the record, I'd like to state that you're no fun when it comes to these things.

Lucas: Just tell me!

Ashley: Okay! Okay! You were just kinda obvious. That whole comment about me and the barista, the surfer dude, Zac, Chris, and Jared…

Lucas: What about it?

Ashley: You noticed all the little things I did when I was with them, like batting my eyelashes, grinning from ear to ear, giggling about them, etc. And you weren't even near or beside me when those things happened. It just tells me that maybe you look at me a lot, even from a distance. I didn't know why then. But now I have a very good feeling I do.

Lucas: Umm… You don't even know how I got that information. You can't just assume I look at you a lot (using and incredulous tone)! I could've gotten that from Nessa, or Mo, or Zac, or Chris, or Jared…

Ashley: Did you? (looks straight into his eyes)

Lucas: (stares back at her but then breaks eye contact after a few seconds and looks down)

Ashley: (smiles warmly) I didn't think so.

Lucas: (head still hung low) Are you mad?

Ashley: No. Why would I be mad?

Lucas: 'Coz I accused you of thinking I was hot but then it was me all along who thought you were hot.

Ashley: Is this you becoming any cuter?

Lucas: If you find it cuter, then it is. (smiles at her)

Ashley: (kisses his cheek, pulls him into a hug and rests her head on his shoulder) I do.

Lucas: (smiles and rests his head on her head) So Ash, what just happened?

Ashley: I think we just admitted that we like each other.

Lucas: So hot equals like?

Ashley: Yeah, at least for me, that's what I meant.

Lucas: (nodding in agreement)

Ashley: Is that what it means for you too?

Lucas: (kisses her forehead) Yes.

They rest their heads against each other and clasp hands. Lucy's long forgotten on the sand next to Lucas. They stay that way for several minutes just looking out into the ocean waiting for the sunset. Ashley hears soft steady breaths as she looks up and sees Lucas dozing off. She waits a few more minutes before she wakes him. Finally the sun begins to set.

Ashley: Luc?

Lucas: Hmm?

Ashley: Wake up… look at this.

Lucas: (drowsily opens his eyes) Wow! That's beautiful.

Ashley: I know. It's been a long time since I've seen the sun set.

Lucas: Well aren't you glad you stayed here all this time?

Ashley: I am. It was worth the wait.

Lucas: It was. Among other things. (smiles)

Ashley: True. (smiles)

Lucas: You ever wonder why sunsets are so beautiful?

Ashley: Why?

Lucas: Because essentially, the sun is hot.

Ashley: And hot equals beautiful right?

Lucas: You're damn right!

Ashley: Ooh… that's so hot of you to use the "damn" word.

Lucas: Oh you ain't seen nothin' yet baby.

Ashley: Oh really? Why don't you show me?

Lucas: My pleasure. (holds her face with his free hand and leans in to kiss her)

Ashley: And mine. (closes the gap between their lips and softly receives his kiss)

* * *

Would appreciate your reviews. This is my first story and I'm still gettin' the hang of it. Just the result of one afternoon of trying to distract myself from work. It's not much but hopefully I can improve my writing with your feedback. Thanks:) 


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